Gymnasium-mat rack



A. B. HORNE GYMNASIUM IMT RACK Filed May 25,1926 2 Sheets-Shoe;

ORNEY5 Patented Oct. 23, 1928.

'UIT'ED STA ARCHIBALD B. HORNE, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

GYMNASIUlVI-MAT' RACK.

Application filed May 25,

The present invention relates to a rack for holding and supporting mats or mattresses such as are used in gymnasiums and playgrounds, to protect gymnasts, athletes or other persons engaged in exercise, from contact with the hard floor or similar surface, thus obviating the liability of injurious accidents.

As is well known to those familiar with gymnasium or athletic equipment, these mats are relatively large, heavy and cumbersome, beingv usually made of a body of thick felt or similar fabric, covered with heavy duck or canvas. The mats are ordinarily provided with heavy canva-shand straps so that they may be dragged into position for use on the floor, and when the exercises are finished, the mats are usually drawn along the floor to one side of the gymnasium or playground and there stacked or piled fiat one upon another. This practice of storing the mats when not in use possesses manifest disadvantages, for, being relatively large, for example, 5 X 10 feet, a pile of such mats will occupy considerable space on the gymnasium floor, thereby curtailing space which is desired for other purposes, this being particularly the case in small gymnasiums. For instance, in a small gymnasium a stack of such mats eX- tending out from the side wall is liable to form an undesirable and dangerous obstruction to those engaged in playing basket-ball or other games, as the players being intent upon the game are liable to stumble or fall over the stacked mats.

Another disadvantage is that these mats being relatively heavy, the piling or stacking of the same in neat order requires considerable'effort and the repeated handling of the mats, dragging the same off the pile and then re-stacking, i-s'liable to rip or break the scams or stitching, thereby tending to the early destruction or wearing out of the mats.

lVith the present invention, I obviate all of these objections, for I provide a simple and efficient form of rack through the medium of which the mats may be held or stacked in vertical position, parallel with and substantially against a wall of the gymnasium, and thereby not only effecting a saving of space and the elimination of an undesirable obstruction, but by so holding the mats clear of the floor, I obviate the accumulation of dust and dirt on the same, thus 1926, Serial N0. 111,492.

tending to the production of sanitary conditions.

The further purpose of my invention is to provide a storage rack embodying the desired features of simplicity, efficiency, convenience and strength, and through themedium of which, a stack of the mats may be neatly and conveniently supported clear of the floor while enabling the mats to be quickly available for use when desired.

Furthermore, when the mats are secured in vertical position against a wall, as shown in Fig. 4, they form an effective padding or protecting soft resilient buffer, so that should a person playing a game, such as a basket ball player, accidentally run into or against the side wall of the gymnasium where the mats are located, he will strike the soft mat and thereby be saved from probable serious injury which might result should he crash into the hard brick wall.

In addition, considerable time and labor is saved in handling the mats, for a number of the same may be piled upon the frame and then by one movement the frame thrown into a vertical position, whereas otherwise, it is customary to handle the mats individually, as in stacking or hanging the same in the ordinary manner. In some instances, the mats are hung up by the handles on hooks, but this soon results in the handle being ripped or torn from the mat, and this disad- I vantage I also obviate with my invention.

Vith the above recited objects and others of a similar nature in View, my invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts set forth and falling within the scope of the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my i1nproved rack showing the same in position ready to receive one or more mats for storage.

Fig. 2 is a similar view but showing several mats flat on the rack ready to be secured in position for storage.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view showinga fiat stack of mats secured in the rack.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the rack and mats in vertical position against the wall.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail the letter A indicates a frame as an entirety, which may be of any suitable shape, and formed of any suitable material, but, in the present instance, is substantially rectangular in form, and is composed of a base board 1, bolted as at 2, to a suitable surface, such as the wall of a gymnasium. Attached to this base board 1, at the ends thereof are blocks 3, and to these blocks are hinged as at 1 the parallel side bars 5 of the frame, these side bars being connected adj acent theupper ends by a cross bar 6, nailed, screwed or otherwise fastened in position. A horizontal bar 7 is bolted as at 8 to the wall, so that it is permanently and securely fastened thereto, and this bar 7 carries at its P ends suitable securing means, such as hooks 9 adapted to engage in the eyes 10 carried at the upper ends of the side bars 5, so that when the frame is thrown up against the wall in vertical position'it may be securely held by means or the hooks and eyes, as shown. in Figs. 1 and 2. At the top of each of the side bars 5 is a strap-clamping device comprising a U-shaped metallic loop or bracket 11 and a clam in screw 12 o aeratin therein each clamping screw having a clamping foot 13.

F astened as at 14 adjacent the bottom of the hinged frame, preferably to the side bars thereof, as best shown in Fig. 1, are the matsecuring straps 15 which, when they are in position on the floor ready to receive the mats, extend substantially in parallelism. These straps may be of any suitable material, such as leather, canvas, or thin flexible metal, and are intended to confine and hold the mats against the frame when secured by the clamping devices.

From the above description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and manner of employing 111 invention will be readily understood.

hen it is desired to store the mats, the straps are extended along the floor in parallelism, while the hinged frame rests in vertical position against the wall, as shown in Fig. 1. The mats M may then be piled or stacked on the straps, as shown in Fig. 2. The retaining hooks for the hinged frame are now released from the eyes and the frame is folded down over upon the mats to the position shown in Fig. 3, and the straps are run through the loops or brackets 11 at the top of the frame and firmly secured or clamped in position by means of the clamping or set screws 12. When this has been done, the frame, now carrying the mats, is thrown up in vertical position against the wall, as shown in Fig. 4, and the frame is secured to the wall by means of the hooks and eyes, as before described.

While I have herein shown and described one particular embodiment of my invention, 1 wish it to be understood that 1 do not coniine myself to all the precise details of con struction herein set forth by way of illustration, as modification and variation maybe tom thereof and adapted to cooperate with the frame to hold a mat against the frame, and means for fastening the flexible straps to the frame in mat-holding position.

2. A device of the class described comprising a hinged frame attached to a wall or the like, means for holding the frame in vertical position against the wall, strap clamping members carried by the frame, and a pair of flexible straps adapted to hold a mat in storage position against the frame and to be clamped in such position by the clamping members.

3. A device of the class described comprising a vertical swinging frame hinged at its lower end portion and having spaced, strap clamping members at its free end portion, and flexible retaining straps attached to the frame adjacent to the hinged portion thereof and adapted to be fastened by the clamping members to secure a mat against the frame.

4. A device of the class'described comprising a stationary base member, a vertical swinging frame hinged at its lower end portions to said base member, clamping members located adjacent the free end portions of the frame, and flexible strap members attached to the swinging frame adjacent the hinged portions thereof and adapted to be fastened by the clamping members to retain a mat against the frame.

Signed at New York city, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 21st day of May, A. D. 1926.

. ARCHIBALD B. HORNE. 

